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Hildreth and Wake Forest host Florida

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:16:19 GMT

Florida Gators (4-2) at Wake Forest Demon Deacons (3-3)Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Wednesday, 7:15 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Gators -4; over/under is 156.5BOTTOM LINE: Wake Forest plays the Florida Gators after Cameron Hildreth scored 21 points in Wake Forest’s 71-56 victory over the Charleston Southern Buccaneers.The Demon Deacons are 2-0 on their home court. Wake Forest is eighth in the ACC scoring 78.3 points while shooting 47.1% from the field.The Gators play their first true road game after going 4-2 with a 1-2 record in neutral-site games to begin the season. Florida is third in the SEC scoring 86.3 points per game and is shooting 48.0%.Wake Forest averages 78.3 points per game, 3.6 more points than the 74.7 Florida gives up. Florida scores 13.3 more points per game (86.3) than Wake Forest allows (73.0).TOP PERFORMERS: Hunter Sallis is shooting 49.4% and averaging 18.3 points for the Demon Deacons. Hildreth is averaging 17.8 points for Wake Forest.Walter Clayt...

Hawkins leads Florida International against FGCU after 22-point performance

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:16:19 GMT

Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (1-6) at Florida International Panthers (2-6)Miami; Wednesday, 7 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Panthers -3; over/under is 143.5BOTTOM LINE: Florida International takes on the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles after Javaunte Hawkins scored 22 points in Florida International’s 91-84 victory over the Kennesaw State Owls.The Panthers have gone 1-1 in home games. Florida International is 0-3 in games decided by 10 points or more.The Eagles are 0-2 on the road. FGCU is 0-2 in games decided by 10 points or more.Florida International is shooting 43.9% from the field this season, 1.6 percentage points lower than the 45.5% FGCU allows to opponents. FGCU averages 7.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 fewer makes per game than Florida International gives up.TOP PERFORMERS: Hawkins averages 2.0 made 3-pointers per game for the Panthers, scoring 8.3 points while shooting 38.1% from beyond the arc. Arturo Dean is shooting 43.2% and averaging 12.6 points for Flor...

NJIT plays George Mason on 3-game road skid

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:16:19 GMT

NJIT Highlanders (1-4) at George Mason Patriots (5-1)Fairfax, Virginia; Wednesday, 7 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Patriots -21; over/under is 137BOTTOM LINE: NJIT hits the road against George Mason looking to end its three-game road skid.The Patriots are 4-0 on their home court. George Mason is fourth in the A-10 with 26.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Keyshawn Hall averaging 9.7.The Highlanders are 0-3 in road games. NJIT is eighth in the America East allowing 79.8 points while holding opponents to 43.5% shooting.George Mason’s average of 8.2 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.2 fewer made shots on average than the 8.4 per game NJIT allows. NJIT averages 62.6 points per game, 0.4 more than the 62.2 George Mason allows to opponents.TOP PERFORMERS: Hall is scoring 17.7 points per game and averaging 10.8 rebounds for the Patriots. Darius Maddox is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers for George Mason.Sebastian Robinson is averaging 11.6 points and 3.4 assists for t...

Central Arkansas visits Wright and Loyola Marymount

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:16:19 GMT

Central Arkansas Sugar Bears (1-7) at Loyola Marymount Lions (4-3)Los Angeles; Wednesday, 10 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Lions -20.5; over/under is 145.5BOTTOM LINE: Loyola Marymount hosts the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears after Justin Wright scored 20 points in Loyola Marymount’s 67-47 win against the UTEP Miners.The Lions are 3-1 in home games. Loyola Marymount ranks eighth in the WCC with 30.0 points per game in the paint led by Lars Thiemann averaging 5.7.The Bears have gone 0-4 away from home. Central Arkansas ranks ninth in the ASUN with 23.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Ubong Abasi Etim averaging 5.1.Loyola Marymount averages 78.6 points per game, 4.6 more points than the 74.0 Central Arkansas allows. Central Arkansas averages 69.8 points per game, 0.7 more than the 69.1 Loyola Marymount gives up to opponents.TOP PERFORMERS: Wright is scoring 13.1 points per game with 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists for the Lions. Justice Hill is averaging 12.3 points and 1.6 re...

Minnesota hosts New Orleans following Johnson’s 29-point game

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:16:19 GMT

New Orleans Privateers (3-3) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-2)Minneapolis; Thursday, 7 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: New Orleans faces the Minnesota Golden Gophers after Jordan Johnson scored 29 points in New Orleans’ 79-74 victory over the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears.The Golden Gophers have gone 4-1 in home games. Minnesota ranks second in the Big Ten with 17.5 assists per game led by Elijah Hawkins averaging 4.8.The Privateers have gone 1-2 away from home. New Orleans is 0-2 in games decided by less than 4 points.Minnesota makes 45.8% of its shots from the field this season, which is 2.3 percentage points higher than New Orleans has allowed to its opponents (43.5%). New Orleans has shot at a 43.3% rate from the field this season, 3.2 percentage points above the 40.1% shooting opponents of Minnesota have averaged.TOP PERFORMERS: Dawson Garcia is shooting 47.4% and averaging 18.8 points for the Golden Gophers. Mike Mitchell Jr. is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers for Minnesota.Johnson is...

Bradley travels to Murray State for conference showdown

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:16:19 GMT

Bradley Braves (6-0) at Murray State Racers (2-3)Murray, Kentucky; Wednesday, 8 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Braves -4; over/under is 141.5BOTTOM LINE: Malevy Leons and the Bradley Braves visit Nick Ellington and the Murray State Racers in MVC action.The Racers have gone 2-1 at home. Murray State is 1-1 in games decided by at least 10 points.The Braves have gone 1-0 away from home. Bradley ranks seventh in the MVC scoring 31.7 points per game in the paint led by Darius Hannah averaging 9.7.Murray State averages 77.6 points, 9.9 more per game than the 67.7 Bradley gives up. Bradley has shot at a 46.3% rate from the field this season, 0.3 percentage points above the 46.0% shooting opponents of Murray State have averaged.The Racers and Braves match up Wednesday for the first time in conference play this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Jacobi Wood is shooting 50.0% from beyond the arc with 2.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Racers, while averaging 14.6 points and 4.4 assists. Rob Perry is ...

Clark and Louisville host Bellarmine

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:16:19 GMT

Bellarmine Knights (2-5) at Louisville Cardinals (3-3)Louisville, Kentucky; Wednesday, 8 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cardinals -5.5; over/under is 140.5BOTTOM LINE: Louisville takes on the Bellarmine Knights after Skyy Clark scored 29 points in Louisville’s 90-84 overtime victory over the New Mexico State Aggies.The Cardinals have gone 3-1 in home games. Louisville is 1-1 in one-possession games.The Knights are 1-4 on the road. Bellarmine is 1-2 against opponents over .500.Louisville is shooting 42.0% from the field this season, 2.8 percentage points lower than the 44.8% Bellarmine allows to opponents. Bellarmine averages 66.7 points per game, 9.0 fewer points than the 75.7 Louisville allows.TOP PERFORMERS: Clark is scoring 16.8 points per game and averaging 3.0 rebounds for the Cardinals. Tre White is averaging 15.0 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 40.0% for Louisville.Ben Johnson is averaging 13 points for the Knights. Peter Suder is averaging 11.7 points for Bel...

Russia to US: You won’t win the next arms race

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:16:19 GMT

The U.S. won’t win the next arms race against Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.“If the U.S. expects to win another arms race … then the Americans are mistaken,” Ryabkov said in an interview with Russian state-run daily Izvestia, published Wednesday. “We will not give in to provocations, which are typical of American policy toward Russia, but we will guarantee our security.”Despite its isolation on the international stage following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin has retained some allies who have continued to boost its arsenal.Iran has supplied Russia with Shahed drones, while North Korea has shipped vast amounts of ammunitions — reportedly over a million shells. POLITICO has also revealed that Beijing has chipped in with weapons and military equipment.Russia has also been pulling out of arms treaties, including the New START Treaty with the U.S. and the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE).Spe...

National Christmas tree topples in gusty DC winds

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:16:19 GMT

(CNN) — The National Christmas tree was no match for Washington’s gusty weather Tuesday afternoon, toppling over at one point because of high winds.CNN spotted the tree on its side around 4:40 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, with at least one worker climbing atop the structure. It was later righted, and the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony remains scheduled to take place Thursday.CNN has reached out to the National Park Service for comment.The DC area saw wind gusts of more than 30 mph on Tuesday, with the highest reported above 40mph at Reagan National Airport.The tree – a 40-foot Norway spruce – was installed on the Ellipse earlier this month, according to a previous news release from the National Park Service.A previous tree, planted on October 30, 2021, was removed on November 11 after developing needle cast, a fungal disease that causes needles to turn brown and fall off, the NPS said.The holidays are in full swing in the nation’s capital, with first lady Jill B...

3 takeaways from an In-Season Tournament blowout — as Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan was irked by hacks on Andre Drummond

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:16:19 GMT

The Boston Celtics sent Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond to the line six times in the fourth quarter of a 27-point blowout on Tuesday.It wasn’t a mistake — quite the opposite. A win wasn’t enough for the Celtics. In order to advance in the In-Season Tournament, they needed to beat the Bulls by as many points as possible to secure a high point differential and claim the wild-card seed.So even after racking up a 34-point lead, the Celtics never took their foot off the gas. They kept their starters in the game until the final whistle. And midway through the fourth quarter, they began hacking Drummond — who shoots a 47.7% career average at the line — in an attempt to keep the Bulls from scoring.For coach Billy Donovan, the tactic was a step too far. He walked to midcourt several times to confront Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla as he directed his team to foul Drummond.“Andre is a veteran guy,” Donovan said. “Tonight, I told (Mazzulla), I was...